Combination hydraulic jack and load holding mechanism



May 23, 1987 w. D. ELENBURG 3,321,182

COMBINATION HYDRAULIC JACK AND LOAD HOLDING MECHANISM Filed March 26,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIS AGENT PIANISM May 23, 1967 w. D. ELENBURGCOMBINATION HYDRAULIC JACK AND LOAD HOLDING MEG 2 Sheets-$heet 2 FiledMarch 26, 1965 WAYLAND D. ELENBURG ww w HS AGENT United States Patent MTex.

Filed Mar. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 442,996 4 Claims. (Cl. 254-93) Thisinvention relates to improvements in jacks and more particularly to ahydraulic jack for holding a heavy load with safety, and without strainbeing exerted on the packing and rings of the hydraulic jack.

Various hydraulic jacks have been proposed heretofore, but these for themost part were undesirable for holding a heavy load over an extendedperiod of time, as the failure of a hose, valve, or other hydraulicmechanism might render the hydraulic jack ineffective, and if the jackwas supporting a corner of a drilling rig or the like, the drilling rigmight become unbalanced and fall.

The present jack is so constructed that the load may be liftedhydraulically and, when lifted to the desired height, a screw member andcompanion unit may be made to engage the body of the jack to support theload, thereby enabling the hydraulic pressure on the hydraulic systemand jack to be released.

Various hydraulic jacks for lifting and holding loads for a short timehave been proposed heretofore and various screw jacks for lifting andholding loads have been proposed heretofore; however, due to the laborusually entailed in jacking up a load with a screw jack, screw jacks areusually not desirable. However, the jacking up of the load with ahydraulic jack, either by manual operation or by a mechanical operatedpump, enables the load to be readily jacked up to the desired height. Itis then usually necessary to block the load with cribbing, as a safetymeasure, so as to obviate damage in case of a failure of the hydraulicsystem to support the load.

An object of this invention is to provide a combination hydrauliclifting mechanism and a mechanical holding mechanism to hold a loadwithout the danger of failure of the hydraulic system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jacking and holdingmechanism whereby a load may be raised hydraulically and retrogressionof the hydraulic plunger is obviated by mechanical means.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic jackingand holding system which embodies a hydraulic ram for lifting a load,with a threaded portion thereon to receive a nut to hold the loadwithout strain on the hydraulic system.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a unitaryhydraulic jack with a screw thereon for lifting a load hydraulically andfor holding the load mechanically.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combinationhydraulic jack with a screw thereon, the housing of which is made in aunitary casing and which will receive a unitary screw and hydraulicplunger thereinto a substantial distance when in one position, and whichwill extend the screw outwardly therefrom hydraulically when in anotherposition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combinationhydraulic lifting jack and a screw and wedge holding mechanism within ahousing, with a sorewthreaded nut of the screw mechanism being conicaland longitudinally split to complementally seat within a conical recessof the housing so as to hold the screw against movement relative to thehousing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a 3,321,182 PatentedMay 23, 1967 combination hydraulic jack and screw member which screwmember has a free spinning nut threadably engaging the screw member andmeans associated with the nut to enable the ready spinning of the nutinto seating relation with the housing.

With these objects in view and others which will become manifest as thedescription proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like reference characters designate like parts in theseveral views thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydraulic system, embodying ahydraulic reservoir, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic valve, and acombination hydraulic jack and a screw holding mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view through the combinationhydraulic jack and screw holding mechanism on an'enlarged scale, withcertain parts being shown in elevation;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the combination hydraulic jack and screwholding mechanism, showing the mounting bracket therefor;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 2, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the holding nut removed from thescrew-threaded element, showing a longitudinal slit in a side thereof,and showing a leverage arrangement associated with the holding nut.

With more detailed reference to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates ahydraulic fluid reservoir having a fill cap 2 in the upper side thereofand with an outlet pipe 4 leading from the bottom thereof, ahydraulicpressure pump 6 is within the hydraulic fluid conduit 4,- whichhydrauli-c fluid conduit connects with a conventional four-way,distributor valve 8, which may direct hydraulic fluid through hydraulicconduit 10' into the upper end of the hydraulic jack and screw holdingmechanism generally designated by the numeral 12, through an inletopening 14 in the upper end thereof. The hydraulic jack 12 and screwholding mechanism has a cylinder 16, which cylinder has a head 17 on anend thereof, in which cylinder is mounted a piston 18 on plunger 20,which plunger extends through the piston 18 which piston is centrallyapertured. The plunger 20 has a shoulder 19 thereon, against whichpiston 18 seats, The end of plunger 20 has a groove 21 formed thereinadjacent the face of piston 18 opposite shoulder 19, in which groove aclip ring 21a is fitted to retain the piston 18 against longitudinalmovement with respect to plunger 20. The other end of plunger 20 extendsthrough a stufling box 22 in housing 32 in the lower end of cylinder 16,which stuffing box forms a seal with piston rod 20. The cylinder 16 hasa fluid passage 24 at the opposite end thereof from inlet opening 14 towhich passage 24 a hydraulic fluid conduit 26 is connected, the conduit26 also con nects to a port in four-way, distributor valve 8.

Upon application of hydraulic pressure, by pump 6, through conduit 4 andconduit 10, the hydraulic fluid is directed to the upper face of piston18 to move the piston downward within cylinder 16, with the hydraulicfluid exhausting out through passage 24 and into conduit 26 and throughfour-Way, distributor valve 8 to return to reservoir 1 through hydraulicreturn conduit 28. The lower end of the hydraulic plunger 20 isscrewthreaded, as indicated at 30, and extends through housing 32 andthrough a conical nut 34, which nut has a longitudinal split 36 in aside thereof to enable the conical nut to be pressed inward in tightrelation with threads 30 on plunger 20.

The lower end of the housing 32 has a bushing 38 fitted therein andsecured thereto by screws 39 which bushing 38 has a conical recess 40 inthe lower side thereof which recess is complementary to the conicalsurface 42 of nut 34. However, the conical nut 34 is truncated and doesnot extend to the lower end of conical recess 40; therefore, a seatingand wedging action will take place upon the release of hydraulicpressure from the upper face of piston 18 when a load is imposed on thehousing, by hydraulic jack and screws holding mechanism 12.

The plunger 20 preferably has a rounded nose 44 on the lower end thereofto complementally seat in a bed plate 46, which bed plate has acomplementary recess formed therein. A screw retention member 48 ispositioned on the lower threaded end 30 of plunger 20 so as to retainthe nut 34 on the screwthreaded end of plunger 20. Parti-cylindricalhandle members 50 are secured to radially disposedbolts 51 on the nut34- to enable the nut to be spun up into engagement with the conicalrecess 40 in bushing 38 which is positioned on the lower end of housing32, when it is desired to transfer the load from the hydraulic jack tothe screw 30 to be supported thereby to enable the release of hydraulicpressure from hydraulic fluid conduit 10.

To release the strain from the screw, the pump 6 may be started andpressure applied to the upper face of piston 18 through hydraulic fluidconduits 4 and 10, which will urge plunger 20 downward, which willrelease nut 34 from within conical recess 40, then the nut 34 can bespun downward on screw 30 to enable the plunger 20 to be moved from thedashed outline position as indicated in FIG. 1, to the positionindicated in FIG. 3. Then by releasing pressure through four-way,distributor valve 8 from the upper end of cylinder 16 and diverting thepressure into the lower end of cylinder 16 through hydraulic fluidconduit 26 the piston 18 may be retracted to the upper end of thecylinder as indicated in FIG. 3.

While the hydraulic jack mechanism has been shown in some detail, ashaving O-ring sealing elements 52 intermediate the piston 8 and cylinder16, and an O-ring 54 intermediate the upper end of plunger 20 and thepiston 18, it is to be understood that other forms of conventionalsealing elements may be used.

The cylinder head 23 is fitted in shouldered relation, as indicated at25, with the cylinder 16, so the shoulder 25 will position the cylinderhead 23 at the correct position with the screws 27 retaining thecylinder head 23 against outward movement. The stufling box 22 has rings56 in sealing relation with plunger 20, so as to retain hydraulic fluidwithin cylinder 16. An O-ring 58 surrounds cylinder head 23 and forms aseal between the cylinder head and the cylinder 16.

The bushing 38 is turned to present a shoulder 39 thereon, so the loadis transferred from attachment plate P, which forms a mounting bracket,on the hydraulic jack and screw holding mechanism to the bushing 38.

It is to be appreciated that when the load is to be supported over aperiod of time, the load is raised to the desired height by thehydraulic jack, whereupon the nut 34 is spun upward on screwthreadedmember 30 until the conical surface thereof engages the complementaryrecess 40 in bushing 38, and with the bed plate 46 in place, the roundedportion 44 is fitted within a complementary recess within the bed plateand the pressure is released from the hydraulic jack by manipulation offour-way, distributor valve 8, and the load, which is attached toattachment plate P, is transmitted through metal bearingshoulder 39 onbushing 38, thence through conical recess 40 in metal bearing relationto nut 34, and thence to screw member 30 in shear relation, and thenceto bed plate 46 in a compression load. In the above manner, the load isentirely supported in metal to metal relation, without strain on anyhydraulic components.

During the jacking operation the load is transmitted from a mountingbracket or attachment plate P to the upper face of piston 18 and throughthe plunger to the bed plate 46.

While the invention has been shown as assembled with screw-threadedbolts to hold the various elements in place, it is to be understood thatother conventional methods of assembly-are within the spirit ofinvention and the scope of the appended claim-s.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimedas new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a hydraulic lifting jack with a screw and wedge loadholding mechanism, which comprises;

(a) a mounting bracket,

(b) a hydraulic cylinder associated with said mounting bracket,

(1) said hydraulic cylinder having an apertured cylinder head forming aclosure therefor, which apertured cylinder head is adapted to receive aplunger therethrough,

(2) said hydraulic cylinder having a housing extending outwardlytherefrom,

(3) an apertured bushing associated with the outer end of said housing,

(4) the outer end of said bushing being a conical recessed portion,which tapers inwardly toward said hydraulic cylinder,

(0) a piston movably mounted within said hydraulic cylinder in sealedrelation with respect thereto,

(d) a hydraulic plunger connected to said piston in said hydrauliccylinder and extending outwardlythrough said apertured cylinder head,

(1) said hydraulic plunger having a smooth surface thereon for at leastthe length of the stroke of said plunger,

(2) a sealing element Within said apertured head of said hydrauliccylinder, which sealing element forms a seal with said hydraulicplunger,

(3) said hydraulic plunger having an outwardly extending screw-threadedportion thereon, which screw-threaded portion is at least the length ofp the effective stroke of said hydraulic plunger,

(e) a complementary conical nut, having a slit formed through one sidethereof, positioned on the screwthreaded portion of said plunger, so,when a load is transferred from the conical recessed end member to thescrew-threaded portion of the plunger, the complementary conical nutwill yield into wedging, holding engagement in the complementaryrecessed end member to tightly engage said screw-threaded portion ofsaid plunger.

2. A combination hydraulic jack and positive supporting mechanism, whichmechanism comprises;

(a) an elongated, unitary cylindrical housing,

(1) one end of said housing being substantially closed,

(2) a removable, apertured head fitted within said cylindrical housingintermediate the ends thereof,

(3) said elongated cylindrical housing having a counterbore formedtherein to complementally receive said removable, apertured headtherein,

(4) said removable, apertured head having a sealing element therearoundto form a positive fluid seal with the counterbore of said cylindricalhousing,

(5) removable fastening means extending through said cylindrical housingand engaging said removable head to removably secure said head in securerelation within said cylinder,

(b) a hydraulic plunger mounted within said housing,

(1) a portion of said plunger extending out of an end of said housing,

(2) said plunger extending axially through said apertured head and beingsealed in substantially fluid tight relation with respect thereto,

(3) the outwardly extending portion of said plunger being screwthreaded,

(c) an apertured bushing secured in the outer end of said cylindricalhousing opposite said substantially closed end,

(1) said bushing having an inwardly extending conical recess formedtherein,

(d) a screw threaded conical nut complementally engaging the screwthreaded portion of said plunger and being adapted to complementallyseat in said conical recess,

(1) said screw-threaded conical nut having a longitudinal slit extendingthrough one side thereof to enable the conical nut to be pressed inwardin tight relation with said screw-threads of said plunger, when saidconical nut is seated within said conical recess in said aperturedbushing, and

(e) bracket means associated with said housing to connect said housingto a member to be supported.

3. A combination hydraulic jack and positive supporting mechanism asdefined in claim 2; wherein (a) said bushing is fitted in abutting,shouldered relation with the end of said housing.

4. A hydraulic jack and holding mechanism comprising;

(a) a unitary, cylindrical member, a portion of which cylindrical memberforms an elongated cylinder and a portion of which cylindrical memberforming a housing,

(1) said portion of said cylindrical member which forms an elongatedcylinder having a first head in end of said elongated cylinder,

(b) a second head, having a central bore formed therein, removablypositioned within said cylindrical member and substantially closing theother end of said elongated cylinder and being a spaced distance fromsaid first head and being spaced intermediate the ends of saidcylindrical member,

( 1) holding means associated with said cylindrical member and saidsecond head to secure said second head against relative longitudinalmovement with respect to said cylindrical member,

(2) sealing means surrounding said second head and forming a fluid tightseal between said second head and the bore of said cylindrical member,

(c) a shoulder formed within said cylindrical member at the end of saidelongated cylinder to receive said second head thereagainst in abuttingrelation,

(1) said elongated cylinder having fluid passages formed therein neareach end thereof,

((1) a piston mounted in said elongated cylinder for longitudinalmovement therein,

(1) a plunger associated with said piston and forming a seal therewith,

(i) sealing means surrounding said plunger and forming a fluid tightseal between said plunger and said second head,

(ii) said plunger having an outwardly extending portion, which is screwthreaded for a portion of the length thereof,

(iii) said outwardly extending end of said plunger having a roundedsurface thereon,

(2) fluid sealing means surrounding said piston and forming a sealbetween the diameter of the piston and the bore of said elongatedcylinder,

(3) said plunger having a shouldered portion thereon and being inseating relation with said piston,

(4) said plunger having a groove formed therearound adjacent the side ofsaid piston opposite said shoulder,

(e) a clip ring fitted within said groove in said plunger and being inbinding engagement with the opposite face of said piston to maintainsaid piston and said plunger against relative movement,

(f) an axially apertured bushing fitted in the outer end portion of saidhousing portion of said cylindrical member,

( 1) said bushing having an outwardly extending shoulder formed thereonwhich is in abutting relation with the outer end portion of the housingportion of said cylindrical member,

(2) fastening means securing said bushing in fixed relation to saidhousing,

(3) said screw threaded portion of said plunger extending outwardlythrough said axial aperture in said bushing,

(4) said bushing having a conical recess formed therein, which conicalportion tapers inwardly,

(g) a screw threaded nut threadably engaging the screw threaded portionof said plunger,

( 1) said screw threaded nut having an exterior conical taper thereonwhich is complementary to the conical recess in said bushing,

(2) the conical portion of said nut being of less eflective engaginglength than the depth of said conical recess,

(3) said nut having a longitudinal slit formed through a side thereofwhich slit extends into the threadedbore thereof to enable the conicalportion of said nut to yield to be pressed inward into tight relationwith said screw-threaded portion of said plunger,

(h) pins secured to said nut exteriorly thereof, and extending outwardlyat spaced intervals therearound,

(l) at least one arcuate member secured to said outwardly extending pinsto form a portion of a hand wheel and an inertia weight,

(i) abutment means associated with the lower end of said screwthreadedportion of said plunger to retain said nut thereon,

(j) bracket means associated with said cylindrical member to support aload thereon, and

(1) said bracket means having holes formed therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 175,264 3/1876Welsh 254-99 1,303,784 5/1919 Emery 151-19 1,497,218 6/ 1924 McBride.1,705,811 3/1929 Eidel 151-19 X 1,989,251 1/1935 Snell et al 254-1032,284,958 6/1942 Grime 254-93 X 2,341,542 2/1944 Grime 254-93 2,443,2096/ 1948 Thornburg 254-86 3,173,659 3/1965 Hemmeter 254-93 FOREIGNPATENTS 1,152,314 9/ 1947 France.

OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner.

2. A COMBINATION HYDRAULIC JACK AND POSITIVE SUPPORTING MECHANISM, WHICHMECHANISM COMPRISES; (A) AN ELONGATED, UNITARY CYLINDRICAL HOUSING, (1)ONE END OF SAID HOUSING BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED, (2) A REMOVABLE,APERTURED HEAD FITTED WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSING INTERMEDIATE THEENDS THEREOF, (3) SAID ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING ACOUNTERBORE FORMED THEREIN TO COMPLEMENTALLY RECEIVE SAID REMOVABLE,APERTURED HEAD HAVING A SEAL(4) SAID REMOVABLE, APERTURED HEAD HAVING ASEALING ELEMENT THEREAROUND TO FORM A POSITIVE FLUID SEAL WITH THECOUNTERBORE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSING, (5) REMOVABLE FASTENING MEANSEXTENDING THROUGH SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSING AND ENGAGING SAID REMOVABLEHEAD TO REMOVABLY SECURE SAID HEAD IN SECURE RELATION WITHIN SAIDCYLINDER, (B) A HYDRAULIC PLUNGER MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, (1) APORTION OF SAID PLUNGER EXTENDING OUT OF AN END OF SAID HOUSING, (2)SAID PLUNGER EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID APERTURED HEAD AND BEINGSEALED IN SUBSTANTIALLY FLUID TIGHT RELATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, (3)THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID PLUNGER BEING SCREW THREADED,(C) AN APERTURED BUSHING SECURED IN THE OUTER END OF SAID CYLINDRICALHOUSING OPPOSITE SAID SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED END,